Compensating device for bottle-capping machines.



L. BARTLETT.

GOMPENSATING DEVICE FOR BOTTLE GAPPING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APB.. 1, 1909.

' Patented May 17, 1910.

Ammfw e mmm c LEONARD BARTLETT, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORTO BARTLETT CAPPING MACHINE COMPANY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ACORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

COMPENSATING- DEVICE FOR BOTTLE-CAPPING MACHINES.

aereas.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD BARTLETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Compensating Device forBottleCapping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for applying seals to bottles; andespecially that kind of seals known as Crown seals; and the .object ofthe invention is to provide means to insure the proper pressure beingapplied to the seal when it is being secured in position, and, at thesame time, prevent the increase of the pressure beyond the requiredamount should the bottle be greater in length than the normal or averagebottle.

The invention is illustrated in the acco1npanying drawing, in which-Figure l, is a side elevation of a part of a bottle capping machine, apart being in section to show my improved compensating device appliedthereto; Fig. 2, is a sectional view of a part of the machine, thecompensating device being shown at right angles to the v1ew shown inFig. 1; and, Fig. 3, is a sectional view on the line 3-3, of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, like numerals of reference refer to the same parts ineach of the views; and in practice I provide a bottle capping machine ofany improved lconstruction, a portion of the upright, or standard of onebeing indicated by 4, and the capping head by 5. The compensating devicecontrolling the bottle platform 6, is similar to that shown in myapplication for patent filed March 1, 1909, Serial Number 480,625; butin the present construction the movement of the bottle platform 6, iscontrolled by a compressible spring 7, the upper end ofwhich bearsagainst the plate 8, around the hub 9. Passing through this hub is ashaft 10, on the lower end of which is an adjusting nut 11, by which thetension of the spring 7, can be regulated, as will be understood.

Pivotally connected with the upper end of the shaft 10, are two levers12, and 13, which are respectively connected with two levers 14, and 15,which are pivotally connected with the plate 8, at 16, and 17,respectively; and the plate 8, being rigid, any movement of the levers14, and 15, toward the perpendicular will cause the lifting of thelevers 12,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 1, 1909.

Patented May 17, 1910.

Serial No. 487,344.

and 13, and with them the shaft 10, against the action of the spring 7.

Attached to the bottle platform 6, is a bifurcated stem 18, the arms 19,and 20, of which, engage vrollers 21, and 22, and the -lower ends of thearms are provided with outward curved portions 28, and 24, which,engaging the wheels 21, and 22, will cause the rapid spreading of thesewheels, and the quick application of the tension of the spring to thebottle platform.

Y At 25, and 26, the curvature of the arms 19, and 20, change to theperpendicular, so that after the wheels, or rollers have passed thesepoints, the compound levers will not be forced farther apart; and thetension of the spring 7, will not be increased. Consequently, should thelength of the bottle be abnormal, after the tension of the spring 7 hasreached the normal for capping, it will not be increased. Should,however, a long bottle carry the bottle platform down so that therollers will engage the vertical sides of the stem, I have providedmeans to secur'e the return of the bottle platform, consisting of a rod2 7, one end of which is mounted in the arm 28, of the capping head 5,and the other end passes through an opening in the top of the bottleplatform, and is provided with a pin 29, which will engage the underside of the bottle platform, and draw the platform upward should it notbe returned by the spring 7 and rollers.

As shown, the bottle latform 6, is slidably mounted on a cylin er 31, tothe bottom of which is secured a spring-controlled pawl 32, which isadapted to engage a rack bar 38, mounted on the standard 4, so that theplatform may be readily adjusted; and the plate 8, forms the head of thecylinder 31.

The operation is as follows: When a bottle, as 30, is placed in themachine to be capped, the capping head 5, and arm 28, are brought downto secure the cap in place, 'while the rod 27, slides down through thetop of the bottle platform 6. When the head comes in contact with thebottle, the pressure will cause the platform to descend, as indicated indotted lines, causing the stem 18, to separate the compound leversthereby lifting the shaft 10, against the action of the spring 7, untilthe proper capping tension has been reached; but if the bottle is longerthan usual, the rollers will pass the points 25, and 26, when the leverswill no lon er be spread, and the tension of the spring will not beincreased; and the breakage of the long bottles will be prevented. Whencarried down by long bottles, on the return of the capping head, the rod27, will draw the bottle platform up until engaged by the curved portionof the stem, and the levers, as will be understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with a bottle capping machine of a compensatingdevice comprising a movable bottle platform, an adjustable support forsame, two levers pivoted on said support and normally held at an anglethereto whereby the upper ends of said levers are adjacent to eachother, a compression spring mounted beneath said support, a shaftmounted therein and carryin a nut adapted to adjust the tension thereo aconnection between each of said levers and said shaft, said bottleplatform being supported on the upper ends of said levers and havingmeans t-o separate said levers during the descent thereof to apredetermined distance, and having means to descend a` further distancewithout further separating said levers.

2. The combination with a bottle capping machine of a compensatingdevice comprising an adjustable support, a movable bottle platformmounted thereon, levers mounted on said support and having their upperends adjacent, a spring normally holding the ends of said levers againstseparation, said bottle platform being supported by said levers andhaving means to separate the ends thereof to a fixed point, and alsohaving means to descend after the levers have been separated a fixeddistance without further separating the same.

3. The combination with a bottle capping machine of a compensatingdevice comprising an adjustable support cylindrical in shape, a bottleplatform mounted thereon, said support having a fixed partition or headwith an opening in the center thereof, a shaft passing through saidopening, a compression spring mounted on the lower end of said shaft,two levers hinged to said head and carrying friction wheels on the upperends thereof which are held adjacent to each other whereby the leversare held inclined to said head, or partition, levers, or linksconnecting the free ends of said levers with said shaft, and a shaftmounted on the bottle platform and resting on said wheels, said shafthaving outwardly and upwardly curved surfaces on the lower end whichengage said wheels whereby in the descent of t-he bottle platform saidwheels are forced apart equal in distance to the width of said shaft,and said wheels being adapted to travel on the sides of said shaft.

Signed this 23rd day of March, 1909.

LEONARD BARTLETT.

Witnesses G. P. VAN WYE, P. A. CoNRoY.

